looking back

i'm a little slow on this post, but dave and i were talking about how much happened in 2011 and what a great year we had. we feel like we accomplished a lot and had a blast doing it. here's our little recap:

- dave completed his first official busy season as an accountant.

- we both graduated from BYU with bachelor's.

- we traveled to spokane, vegas, and atlanta.

- i completed my internship and started my full time job after graduation.

- we moved three times, and gave three sacrament talks.

- we celebrated our 2 year anniversary.

- i got my camera and started really getting into photography.

- we bought our first home, a condo. we absolutely love it.

- dave completed his first solo album - a goal we've been working on for over a year. couldn't be more excited or proud of him. he is so talented. if you would... listen to his music and repost on your blog. i would loooove it :)

it was such a great year. i'm excited to see all of the great things 2012 will bring.

oh, and here's the link to dave's new CD. for reals, check it out :)

baby eleanor

i met my friend kortney in our freshman ward at BYU. we lived in the same apartment complex, or maybe i should say the same apartment since she usually ended up sleeping on my floor anyways. across the parking lot in apartment 87, we met a group of best friends that had grown up together. dave, pete, tyson and scott. dave asked me out for our first official date, and pete asked kortney. after that night, our relationships with those cute boys from 87 grew, and kort and i became great friends.

so, fast forward a few years. dave and i got married. pete and kort got married. and yesterday, they brought a beautiful baby girl into the world. eleanor kathryn kern was born december 11, 2011. she is a beauty. all of that hair makes me want to run out and buy headbands and bows galore.

we were lucky enough to head down to provo just 8 hours after she was born. kortney and pete are such cute parents and eleanor is one lucky little girl!

these are some photos i captured from that sweet day.

congrats you two!! <3

we are soooo happy for you.

4 hours of silence.

my cute love is studying for the GMAT. he started taking a practice test almost three hours ago. that means total silence from his overly chatty wife. since he started the test i have:

- spent some time on pinterest.

- clicked through facebook a hundred times.

- did an hour worth of facetime with my adorable baby sis, haley. who is not a baby anymore. 15 and gorgeous. i put an earbud in my ear and she talked to me while i wrote notes back. i love her.

- ate a vitamin.

- did a cartwheel.

- counted down until christmas.

- organized our room.

test is on november 19. i'm gonna have a lot of precious quiet time between then and now.

:)

lately.

my mom and i made these super cute wall panels for my living room when i was visiting spokane. my sweet sis, andrea bought me all of the supplies for my birthday. it was a really fun project and i loved the time we got to spend together.

i got called into YW in our new ward and i'm loving it. the girls are just the cutest. last week i had the beehives over to make caramel apples to celebrate fall. it was delish :)

cristal - andrea - me - kortney

my best friend and freshman roommate, andrea, was called to serve a mission in BARCELONA! we said goodbye to her this week and it was tough! she will be an amazing missionary. i really owe a lot of my testimony to the things that girl has taught me.

dave played every friday night at the pizza factory in salt lake this summer. our last warm night was this weekend and it was a great show. we are also excited about his first solo album that is being finished up this month! a lifelong dream is becoming real for him - and i couldn't be more excited.

we are heading to atlanta at the end of this month for a much needed vacation! dave served his mission there and i am so excited to finally see all of the places i have heard so much about :)

hope you are enjoying fall. i can't get enough of that pretty fresh air.

whoopie.

i LOVE it when my food network magazine comes. when we were living in provo, i used to check the mail on my way to class in the morning. the days i found that magazine in the box were always good ones. i wouldn't listen much in class, but i definitely stayed awake.

two days ago the fall issue came. it seems like every time fall comes around i love the season more and more. i love the cool air in the morning and the smell outside. i love putting on long sleeve shirts and seeing the leaves turn colors. i love all the new home scents that arrive at bath & body and i especially love getting back to baking pumpkin recipes.

today after work i tried the recipe on pg. 138. the neely's whoopie pumpkin pies. miraculously, i had everything in my pantry and fridge so i didn't have to go out for a thing. they were really simple to make. if you're into whoopie pies, i would recommend these. i can honestly say i haven't ever had a whoopie pie before today. and i don't know if i will have one again. something about the buttermilk in the batter makes them all airy. not a fan.

however! - the filling is amazing. i might have eaten it straight out of the bowl. okay, i did. you really can't beat a frosting with pumpkin and cinnamon. i just need to find something else for it to go with.

what are your favorite fall time recipes?

baby jack

he is growing up sooo fast. and so cute i can hardly stand it.

we are visiting spokane for the weekend - lots of photos to come :)

my husband is a rockstar.

if you've never heard dave play...

you need to.

this summer he's playing friday nights

at the pizza factory in salt lake city.

i may be a little biased

but he's amazing.

listen here.